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Spring recording artist organizes benefit concert for abuse victims
Updated: 10.24.08 .. -->[include_if_component:movie-file:1:incs/story/movie.inc]-->
As a childhood domestic abuse survivor, Spring recording artist Jennifer Grassman began looking for resources to educate herself regarding statistics and local resources.
In her research, she came across the The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network site, an organization for abuse and sexual assault victims. What she learned empowered her.
Grassman made it her goal to share her new-found knowledge with others, both through her music, which is greatly influenced by her traumatic experience, and with education.
"When I was a kid, my piano was my best friend," Grassman said. "Whenever I was feeling depressed or scared, I would play the piano. My songs became an outlet for me to vent and express myself and express hope, too. I always had a strong sense of hope that I would be able to escape the situation that I was in."
.. --> AdSys ad not found for cypress_sun/features:instory --> Feedback from several fans who shared their similar pasts with Grassman after hearing her music inspired her to begin work on a benefit for RAINN.
She decided to organize a small benefit, but what started as a small show at a local coffee house grew into a concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.
"The more sponsors that I talked to, the bigger the event became," Grassman said. "It just snowballed."
To drum up awareness for the event, Grassman is performing mini-concerts, or RAINN Showers, in which she tours local venues and campuses to educate audiences about abuse statistics.
Grassman recently received praise from multi-platinum recording artist Tori Amos for her work organizing the city's first RAINN benefit concert.
"I commend Jennifer on the great work she is doing to help victims of sexual assault," said RAINN founder Tori Amos and inspiration to Grassman.
The RAINN Over Houston benefit concert will take place in September of 2009, almost 15 years after Amos co-founded RAINN in June of 1994.
"I was trying to twist her arm into coming and performing at the event," Grassman said. "She's got a pretty crazy 2009 schedule, so initially she said no, but I'm still planning on bugging her."
The goal of RAINN Over Houston is to raise at least $100,000 with 100 percent of net proceeds to be donated to RAINN. Grassman is also dedicating her third album, due in June, to the organization and contributing a portion of the sale proceeds to their cause.
In addition to ongoing RAINN Showers, she will be hitting the road Nov. 29 for her annual Texas Christmas, which includes a stop at the Tomball Christmas market.
For more information on the concert or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jennifer Grassman Music at jennifergrassmanmusic@comcast.net or call 281-573-0610.
RAINN
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) which has helped more than 1.2 million people since its inception in 1994.
RAINN recently launched the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline (www.rainn.org), the country's first secure web-based hotline, which provides a safe, secure and anonymous place for victims to get help online.
RAINN also helps to educate over 130 million college students each year about sexual assault, and leads national efforts to improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.
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